Once Upon A Winchester
by Artemis.Anne
Summary: Cas and Dean find themselves dumped in the land of fairy tales.
1. Chapter 1

Castiel ran his hands through his hair, tugging lightly at the ends. His heavy sigh blew up another cloud of dust that led to his thousandth coughing fit of the day. He knocked over a box in his blundering out of the room in search of fresh air. The resulting crash made him cringe. Hopefully that wasn't expensive.

His grandmother was halfway to her new home in Florida by now while Castiel picked through the items in Aunt Annie's Antique Shop.

The shop that he now owned.

He'd never been a business owner. He didn't know the first thing about running an antiques store, but he was fairly certain most of what surrounded him was pure junk.

Getting permanently removed from his position at the university sure did have its downsides.

He sighed again and headed back inside. He had to finish the basic inventory and cleaning of the back room before the evening.

* * *

Dean pushed the door to Mrs. A's shop and grinned at the familiar bell tinkle announcing his arrival.

The sweet old lady that usually greeted him was oddly silent. Dean stood awkwardly in the entryway before he started to worry. What if she fell and broke a hip like on the commercials for those life alert pendants? Did she have a life alert pendant?

"Hello?" he called out. "Mrs. A?"

He heard some scuffling noises toward the back of the shop and made his way through the maze of items. If it wasn't Mrs. A then the old bird had a rat problem.

Either way, he was going to investigate.

He turned the corner into the one room Mrs. A had never let him clean and stopped dead.

A lithe young man danced to the beat probably pulsing through his earbuds as he wiped the blanket thick layer of dust from the shelving.

Dean licked his lips as he leaned against the doorframe to watch the show playing out in front of him. The man's hips moved easily from side to side before switching to a full body roll. Dean felt his cock starting to pay attention the longer the man gyrated.

He shook himself. He had to announce his presence before his downstairs situation got any worse.

Dean moved along the periphery of the room until he stood nearly next to the man. Damn. His profile was stunning. Black hair, great cheekbones, pink lips. Dean couldn't tell eye color because his eyes were closed as he moved into another body roll.

Dean reached out to touch his arm, hoping he didn't startle easily.

* * *

"Closer" by Nine Inch Nails blasted through Castiel's earbuds. He never danced in public, always feeling silly with the isolated hip movements he'd learned in that semester of belly dance.

Hey, everyone needed a physical education credit. He just refused to take weight lifting with his meat head roommate.

Although, looking back on his experience with Lucifer that semester, maybe he should have reconsidered.

His eyes slipped closed as he went into a full body undulation. The music ran through his body and he felt everything calm and relax.

Until he was shocked out of his mind by a warm hand pressing against his arm.

Castiel yelped and leaped backward, crashing into the shelf he'd just organized. Several items clanged and clattered the ground around him. His first thought was to be grateful he'd crashed into the "for sure crap" shelf.

His second thought was remembering he hadn't locked the front door.

"There's no money and most of the stuff is junk. Please don't hurt me," he stammered.

Castiel's last thought before he died was realizing the intruder was gorgeous.

* * *

Dean put his hands up in a surrender position to show he wasn't armed.

The terrified man in front of him had beautiful blue eyes that seemed to stare directly into his soul. His voice sounded like he'd been gargling glass.

Or had cock down his throat all morning.

"I'm not here to take anything, man. I'm looking for Mrs. A." Dean drew out the words carefully, making sure to speak clearly.

The man blinked those bright eyes a few times before he tilted his head like a confused kitten. "Mrs. A?"

"Annie? The older lady that owns the place." Dean was feeling impatient. If this guy was in the shop poking around shouldn't he know the woman?

Realization dawned. "That's my grandmother. She's halfway to her new home in Florida by now. I'm Castiel. She, uh, gave me the place."

Dean deflated. "Oh, she didn't tell me."

Castiel tilted his head to the other side and narrowed his eyes. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

Dean extended a hand. "I'm Dean. Sometimes I pop in to help Mrs. A with the store. She pays me in pie."

* * *

"Hello, Dean." Castiel took his hand and shook it, noting the callouses on his palms and fingers. He could imagine what that rough hand would feel like brushing over his skin and gripping. . . he coughed and pulled his hand back.

But not before Dean raised an eyebrow, obviously following his train of thought. Eyes the color of grass by a lake followed his every move.

Cas cleared his throat and stepped back. "You're more than welcome to grab a rag but I'm afraid I can't offer you baked goods. I'm a loss in the kitchen. I'd appreciate the help as I'm unsure of what she kept in inventory."

Dean eyed their surroundings. "She never let me back here."

Cas sighed. Of course she hadn't. His grandmother had been moving into hoarder territory toward the end and become oddly protective over the items in the back room.

Dean stepped close to Cas and picked up one of the items that had fallen. "She didn't tell you anything about it before she left?"

Cas chuckled and picked up a wayward metal urn. "She said some of the things had magic in them and warned me to be careful."

Dean didn't laugh. "You don't believe it?"

Cas shot him an incredulous look. "Do you?"

"I don't like to rule anything out." Dean shrugged and placed the item in his hands on a nearby shelf.

Castiel scoffed. "Magic? Really, Dean? Are you twelve?"

Dean turned and crossed his arms over his chest. Castiel most certainly did not notice how his shirt pulled across firm biceps and broad shoulders. Nope. Not at all.

"You realize the guys that say they don't believe are always the ones that have weird shit happen, right?"

Cas rolled his eyes. "This isn't a movie. That kind of thing doesn't happen."

"Uh huh." Dean sounded unconvinced. "Maybe I will help you out back here. You're going to need someone to save your ass."

"The only thing you're saving me from is attacking dust bunnies." Cas tucked his headphones in his pocket and resumed cleaning. He waved a hand toward the back of the room. "You can start over there and we'll meet in the middle."

* * *

Dean was furious.

What. An. Asshole.

Castiel had just dismissed him like he was a peasant before a king.

Dick.

Dean snatched up a rag and cleaning spray and moved to the center of the room out of spite. He wouldn't start where he'd been instructed because he wasn't a goddamn employee.

Good thing, too. He would have fucking quit on the spot.

Dean shifted a few items around to clean underneath when he spotted something behind the shelving unit. He slowly began transferring items from the shelves to the floor so he could move it.

"What on earth are you doing?" rang out from Castiel's side of the room.

Dean set a music box on the floor. "There's something back here."

"Like the door to Narnia?" Castiel quipped.

Dean rolled his eyes. "I can't tell what it is. I'm going to have to move the shelf."

"Just leave it," Cas huffed. "If it's back there it's for a good reason. It's probably crap."

"Or," Dean countered. "It's hidden because it's dangerous."

"You're confusing reality with movies, Dean."

"You're being a real dick about something silly, Cas."

The men glared at each other in silence for a few beats before Castiel threw up his hands. "Fine, we'll move the fucking shelf. Shove over."

* * *

Castiel had never been so irritated.

And horny. What the fuck?

His grandmother was a fanciful hoarder who believed in mystical realms and magic. Castiel hadn't been raised with her but she always found time to teach him folktales and fairy stories.

That is, until the day he'd mentioned feeling as though those stories were meant for children. That had been a few weeks ago and she'd started planning her change of location immediately.

He still felt bad about it.

When all of the items had been moved from the shelf he braced one side while Dean took the other. Both men cringed at the squealing sound of metal scraping across concrete.

Castiel dusted himself off as he surveyed the uncovered item.

It was a giant mirror.

The thing was taller than he and wide enough that he and Dean could stand side-by-side and both be seen in it.

"A mirror," he said flatly.

"A huge ass mirror," Dean agreed. "I'll bet if we cleaned it up you could sell it pretty quickly."

Cas nodded as he ran a finger through the thick layer of dust along the edge. The framing was quite ornate and had pictures carved into it. He could make out an apple, a bow and arrow, and a rose on one side.

He went back to his work station and grabbed his damp rag. He'd have to get the glass cleaner out later to make it really shine but a regular cleaner would work for now.

* * *

Dean watched as Cas trailed slim fingers over the frame on the mirror. He felt a stab of arousal as he watched those digits caress the wood.

Ha. Wood.

But mostly he felt uneasy. Something about the mirror didn't sit right with him. He'd been on enough hunts to know when something supernatural was afoot.

Cas left and came back with his rag. "I'll take this side, see how much you can get done with what we have and we'll reassess in a bit."

As more of the dust was removed, the nervous feeling in Dean's gut grew.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, Cas. Maybe you should step back."

Cas put a hand on his hip and raised an eyebrow. "Why? Is it a magic mirror?"

Dean swallowed hard. "It might be. . ."

Cas gave the surface a few quick wipes to clear the glass before putting his fingertips to it. "Bloody Mary," he intoned.

Dean snatched his wrist back with bruising force. "Not funny, dude."

Cas ripped his hand from Dean's grasp and rubbed the sore spot. "What the fuck is wrong with you? It's a stupid kids' game."

Dean pointed a finger. "Don't fuck with that sort of thing. God. You're the kind of asshole that bring Ouija Boards into the house for fun aren't you?"

Cas sighed. "My foster family wouldn't allow it or I would have."

Dean deflated. He had a soft spot for people that had grown up in the system.

Cas was turned back to face the mirror. "How about this? Mirror, mirror on the wall."

"Cas," Dean warned.

* * *

Cas grinned at his reflection. Dean was so upset over something so simple.

"See?" he said when nothing happened. "It's just a stupidly huge mirror. There is nothing special about it."

Dean didn't look convinced. "Just. . . step back a bit, okay?"

"I'm telling you, Dean. It's fine." Cas did the opposite and stepped closer, noting that Dean moved with him. The man looked ready to jump in at any second.

Dean placed a hand on Castiel's wrist again, gentling his grip. "I'd feel better if we put the shelf back and pretended it wasn't here."

Cas twisted so he could grip Dean's wrist at the same time, his opposite hand still on the glass. "Dean. It's fine. There's no such thing as magic."

His last sentence hung in the air with palpable force. Time slowed around them. Cas looked around as even the smallest background sounds fell silent.

"Cas?" Dean whispered.

Cas turned his attention back to Dean, who was staring at the mirror with wide eyes. Cas turned to look too.

The glass rippled like the surface of a pond after a stone's throw. Small waves moved through the previously firm surface. Castiel could feel it moving beneath his fingertips.

He tried to jerk his hand back but found he couldn't.

"Dean, help me!" he shouted.

Dean sprang into action, using his other hand to pull at Castiel's. "You're stuck!"

"I know that. Fix it." Cas pulled and twisted but found it wasn't working. In fact, he was now up to his wrist in mirror glass.

"This isn't possible," he whispered.

He pulled back harder and his feet skidded uselessly on the smooth concrete flooring. His balance compromised and he teetered to one side.

Dean made to grab him but his foot caught on a small plate he'd placed on the floor earlier.

The men lost their footing and fell. . .

. . . directly into the rippling glass.


	2. Chapter 2

The pair tumbled onto the forest floor with a resounding thud. Castiel groaned as his hip slammed into the ground while he and Dean battered each other with sharp elbows and knees.

Dean reacted quickly, leaping into a crouch and pulling the gun from his waistband.

Cas caught sight of the movement. "You brought a _gun_ into my shop?!" he shouted.

"Shut the fuck up," Dean hissed. He shoved Cas toward the dirt. "And stay down."

Dean saw Cas begrudgingly obey out of the corner of his eye. If their loud landing hadn't alerted anyone to their presence, the shop owner's shouting would have done it.

He could hear movement in the brush to his left. Someone was moving toward them slowly and not bothering to be quiet. He wasn't sure if that should comfort or frighten him.

He clicked the safety off his gun and brought the weapon around as a figure stepped into the small clearing.

It was a woman. She stood about average height and was dressed in simple jeans with a fitted dark green tank top. Her raven hair was gathered into a high ponytail that lay over her shoulder. Dove gray eyes watched him beneath dark lashes set against pale skin.

"Hello," she said, carefully setting her own weapon to the ground and raising her hands. "I mean you no harm."

Dean didn't reply. He braced his feet and cocked his head in case she'd brought backup.

She seemed content to watch him, waiting for him to make the next move.

Castiel huffed from his position on the ground. "For God's sake, she put her gun down."

"She may have backup waiting for me to lower mine." Dean didn't take his eyes off of hers.

She only nodded. "You're a hunter."

Dean startled. "What's it to you?"

She extended her arms out to her sides. "My men are waiting for my say and will not advance without it. You have my word."

"No offense, lady. I don't know you so your word means nothing here," Dean snapped.

"Fair enough," she said, nodding again. She used her foot to kick her own gun into Castiel's space. She turned in a slow circle, pulling her shirt up to reveal an empty waistband as she did. When she faced Dean again she nodded at the gun still on the ground. "You now hold the advantage."

Dean clicked the safety back on and lowered the gun but did not put it away. "Where are we?"

"You're in Everland."

"Like Peter Pan?" Dean asked.

"That's Neverland," the woman interjected. "We're neighbors."

"How did we get here?" Castiel asked.

The woman opened her mouth to answer when Dean responded. "Magic mirror."

"Don't be absurd, Dean." Cas stood and brushed himself off.

Dean growled his frustration. "I'm sorry. What part of falling into that fucking mirror did you miss?"

"There's no such thing as magic," Cas said calmly.

The woman placed her hands on her hips. "I can see why you're here. The Mirror doesn't like that sort of talk."

"The Mirror doesn't like. . . what are you on?" Cas ran his hands through his hair. "I'm surrounded by crazy people." He'd hit his head when they fell. That was it. Or inhaled too many cleaning fumes in the small, poorly ventilated room. Or they'd crashed into the mirror and shards of glass had ripped them to pieces and he was currently in hell.

"No, you're surrounded by forest where we were once in Mrs. A's shop. If we're crazy you're right there with us, bucko." Dean picked up the woman's gun, checked the safety was engaged, and shoved it in the back of his pants.

"Mrs. A?" the woman inquired. Her musical voice caressed along Dean's fragile nerves in a way that made him feel more at ease.

"Annie," Cas answered absentmindedly. "Annabelle Novak. She's my grandmother."

The woman's expression brightened. "You're friends of Annabelle? Why didn't you say so?"

"You know Mrs. A?" Dean asked.

She nodded. "We're old friends."

Dean turned to Cas. "Is that possible?"

Cas shrugged. "Grew up in the system remember? I've only known her for a few years now."

"You have her eyes," the woman said softly to Cas.

He turned and blinked. "I do?"

"They're close, anyway. There's something missing. . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "It's no matter. Please come with us back to my home. Any friend of Annabelle's is welcome."

Dean watched her for a moment before nodding. He didn't sense any ill will from the woman and he considered himself a good judge of character.

"Wonderful." She clapped her hands before letting out a shrill whistle.

Men appeared from all around them. Dean realized just how surrounded they were as a dozen men dressed in black and green peeled out of the trees in absolute silence.

"Dean. . ." Cas murmured as he moved closer.

"Well I'll be damned," Dean whispered.

The woman raised her hands to get attention before announcing, "These men are friends of Annabelle and to be treated with respect."

In unison, the men lowered their weapons and placed the firearms in a neutral position. Dean decided to do the same, making a show of placing the gun in his waistband at his hip.

"What are you doing in the woods with an army?" Dean asked.

"I'm a hunter as well," the woman answered with a smile. "There has been word of attacks in the area and we're checking it out."

"Heart removed?" Dean asked.

The woman nodded, a twinkle in her eye showing approval at his line of questioning. "Among other things."

"Werewolf was our guess but the attacks continued beyond the full moon," one of the men interjected.

Dean pursed his lips in thought. "Atypical werewolves are uncommon but not impossible. More likely you're dealing with a wendigo or rougaru."

Castiel's head whipped from person to person as the conversation continued around him. "Are you kidding me?"

The men shifted uncomfortably.

Dean grinned. "Cas here doesn't believe in magic so he probably doesn't believe in supernatural creatures either."

Cas spun to face Dean. "Because they aren't real."

"Not for nothin' but the last time someone looked at me like that, I got laid." Dean smirked and stepped closer into Castiel's space.

Cas shivered but didn't back down. "You're insane."

"Then there's no harm in going to the nice lady's house and having a hot shower, right? Because if this is all in your head you should at least be clean."

Cas narrowed his eyes. "Fine."

"There should be room in Ivan's truck for the two of you. The road is right up this way." With that, the woman hiked past the two men and into the expanse of trees, following a small trail Dean hadn't noticed previously.

The men moved as a trained unit, not waiting for Dean and Cas to follow. Dean was almost offended that they felt he was so little a threat they were comfortable putting him at their back.

Dean gestured for Cas to follow first, wanting to bring up the rear to watch for anything that may have been lurking.

The group hiked in silence. Footfalls and breathing the only sound breaking through the general din of forest life.

Dean heard a twig snap at his back and spun, pulling his gun as he did.

He was joined by two of the other men, each flanking a side. The trio stared into the woods, barely breathing.

Dean could feel Castiel press up behind him. "What is it?"

"Shh," Dean hissed.

He felt, rather than heard, the woman slink up to his side. "What do we have?"

Dean jerked his head to one side and narrowed his eyes at the expanse of trees to indicate he'd heard something but was unaware of the origin.

"Close ranks. Protect the civilian. We're unlikely to face an attack as a group." The man closest to her nodded and turned to repeat the instructions to the rest of the group.

"I take it I'm the civilian that requires protection?" Castiel asked.

Dean's response was to roll his eyes and huff a sigh. He placed a gentle hand at Castiel's back and pushed him down the trail.

They made it the rest of the way without incident but Dean never shook the feeling that they were being stalked.

His intuition was usually correct.

Three black SUVs waited along the side of the road. The woman walked up to the lead car and turned.

"I never got your names," she said.

"I'm Dean. This is Castiel."

She nodded at each of them and turned back to her vehicle.

"Can we get yours?" Dean called out as they were herded to the rear car.

"Of course," she giggled, a girlish sound at odds with her warrior appearance. "I apologize."

She took down her ponytail, shaking her thick black hair so it draped around her shoulders in thick waves. With a smile and an eyebrow raise she dropped a small curtsy.

"My name is Snow." She stood and winked directly at Castiel. "Snow White."


	3. Chapter 3

Castiel and Dean rode in silence down the unfamiliar road.

Each time Dean attempted to speak Castiel made a strangled sound and put a hand up. So, Dean had stopped trying. It was obvious the blue-eyed man was in shock. The question became, would he accept their situation or fall deeper into denial?

The caravan pulled through a gate into a small compound. Castiel's worried expression intensified.

"Is that to keep things out or to keep us in?" Dean asked.

Ivan glanced in the rearview mirror. "The former. You and your friend are welcome to leave whenever you like. I will personally drive you to any location you wish."

"That would be comforting if we knew our way around," Dean sighed.

Ivan grimaced. "I'd forgotten. Rest assured that the gate and fence are for the protection of those therein with nothing nefarious afoot. How may I assure you further?"

Dean pursed his lips. "I'll need a tour of the place with no door left unopened. I'd also like to take a look at your security system and make sure I've met your entire team."

Ivan nodded. "I shall inform Snow."

Castiel snorted and shook his head.

"What?" Dean snapped.

Castiel glared. "This isn't funny, Dean. Tell me what's going on."

Dean blinked a few times. "We're in another dimension. They call this place Everland and we're at Snow White's house."

Castiel scrubbed a hand over his face. "Are we going to have tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter? Should we look out for the Big Bad Wolf? Any other fairytale creatures I should expect to meet?"

Ivan eased the car to a stop. He turned to speak over his shoulder. "Alice and Hatter are in Wonderland, not Everland, The Wolf is very real but only a risk during a full moon, and I would watch out for the pixies. . . they're dicks."

Dean muffled a laugh as Cas gaped. "Hey, you asked."

Dean was still snickering as they made their way up the walk to where Snow waited on the porch.

She spread her arms wide. "Welcome to White Manor."

Dean tilted his head back. The home was mansion sized but "not a castle?"

Snow laughed. "Afraid not. Annabelle informed me of the way many of us are portrayed in your realm. Princesses are not as common as it's made to believe. Many of us are hunters."

"What about the Seven Dwarfs?" Castiel asked.

Ivan chuckled. "The original tactical team was seven men trained by Snow herself. It's grown over the years."

Snow opened the door and led them inside. The foyer was a large open area with a grand staircase and high ceiling. A large window allowed plenty of natural light.

"You'll have to forgive all of my stupid questions," Dean began.

Snow made a hushing sound. "Your questions are not stupid. It is your first time in Everland. Ask away."

"You have cars and electricity?"

Snow nodded as if she expected that to be asked. "Annabelle explained that many modern iterations of my land included a lack of resources. We aren't a totally alien realm. It's more like a side step in the grand scheme of things. We're nearly parallel to your own."

"But you have werewolves and pixies and God knows what else!" Castiel exclaimed.

Dean sighed. "I hate to break it to you, buddy, but so does our, what did you call it? Our realm?"

"Dimension is also appropriate," Snow answered. "We have chosen to embrace our supernatural and paranormal instead of hiding it. Many alternative beings have lives like you and me. They have families and jobs and hopes and dreams."

"But a few of them go crazy and eat people once a month?" Cas sneered.

"Actually," Ivan interjected. "There are safehouses specifically for weres to turn during a full moon. Each were is given a special room where they can change without fear of harming themselves or others. It's cut down on infection rate to the point where we mostly see natural borns these days."

Snow clapped lightly with a smile on her face. "See what we can accomplish by choosing to acknowledge what's right in front of our faces?"

Cas felt tears spring to his eyes. "So all of those stories my grandmother told me were real?"

Snow's expression turned sympathetic. "Yes, your grandmother was once a hunter in her own time. She spent time in our realm gathering information to take back to aid her on her missions. We understand that your dimension is not as friendly with supernatural beings so we helped her cause in any way we could."

"I'd like that shower and a room if it's not too much trouble," Cas whispered.

Snow snapped her fingers. "Of course, Greg will show you to your room. You are both welcome to stay as long as you wish."

Dean nodded his thanks as Cas wordlessly followed George upstairs. He watched his new friend ascend before turning back to their host. "I haven't told him I have no idea how to get back."

"It's not up to you," Snow answered.

"What do you mean?"

"The Mirror brought you here for a reason and you will not be permitted to leave until that is fulfilled."

"But we have lives, jobs, people that care about us back in our own realm!" Dean objected.

Snow gave him a soft smile. "Our dimensions are parallel but once they intersect time passes differently for those out of place. You will return with barely any time having passed on your own side."

"Like that book? With Narnia?" Dean joked.

Snow tilted her head. "The place beyond the mountains?"

Dean threw his head back and laughed.

George appeared at the foot of the stairs. "Sir? I've prepared your room as well."

Dean held up a hand. "Dude, it's Dean. Don't 'sir' me, please."

George grinned. "Very well, Dean. Your room is ready."

"Awesome." He turned to Snow. "I have a date with Ivan to check the place out."

"Of course, I'll send him to your room in a few hours."

Dean saluted and followed George up the stairs. His room was the second on the left. George informed him that Castiel was in the first and that their rooms were connected by an adjoining door. Snow felt the men would be more comfortable knowing they could reach each other at any hour.

The room was simple and reminded Dean of a nice hotel. It was spacious enough for a king sized bed, small loveseat, and small table. A television sat in a cabinet opposite the bed but Dean wasn't sure if he was ready to see what Everland considered prime time TV.

The bathroom held a deep claw foot tub surrounded by candles ready to be lit for a relaxing soak. The shower was large enough to fit three people comfortably and had a small bench inside. Dean planned to use the multiple showerheads as soon as possible.

But first. . .

He knocked on the door connecting his room to Castiel's. "Cas? It's Dean. Can I come in?"

There was a moment of pause before he heard a latch turn on the other side.

The door opened to a disheveled Castiel. "Hello, Dean."

"Hey, you okay?"

Cas sighed. "Not really. I'm overwhelmed."

Dean threw an arm around his shoulders and led him to the couch. "Yeah, I get that. I grew up with this shit and usually try to ease people into it. Even then it's when I have no other choice."

"You probably think I'm an idiot."

"Not at all! You're normal. I'm the ghost hunting weirdo who can't hold a normal job or have a real life. It's why I helped out at Mrs. A's shop when I was in town. It made me feel like regular guy with a regular job."

"Did you know? About her?"

"About her being a hunter? Nah, man. We never talked about it. Although I can't say I'm surprised. She's a tough old broad and there's just something in a believer's eyes."

Castiel huffed. "Is that what Snow meant when she said I had her eyes but something was missing? Belief?"

Dean shrugged. "It's possible."

"Well I believe now. Do I look any different?"

Dean raised his eyes to lock onto Castiel's. Bottle-green met vibrant blue as the men stared at each other. Dean licked his lips and felt a jolt when Cas mirrored the action. His eyes flicked down to slightly chapped lips and he bit down on his own.

"I don't know. We've only known each other a few hours," Dean answered, cursing inwardly at the hoarseness of his voice.

"I guess that makes sense," Cas whispered, his gaze on Dean's mouth.

Dean blinked and pulled back slightly, breaking the moment. "I should shower. I have that thing with Ivan."

Cas shook himself. "Of course. Would it be all right if I accompanied you? I'd like to learn as much as possible while I'm here."

Dean nodded, his stomach flipping at the thought of spending more time with Cas. "Yeah, that'd be cool. I'm happy to teach you whatever you want."

"I'm sure you are," Cas murmured.

A growl of arousal built in Dean's chest and he barely quelled it before he cleared his throat and hastily backed out of the room. He shut the door and leaned his forehead against the cool wood.

"I am so fucked."


	4. Chapter 4

Ivan knocked on Dean's door a few hours later. They collected Castiel and made their way downstairs to where a small team was waiting.

Dean recognized most of the men from earlier but a woman had joined the group. Her bright red hair fell to the middle of her back. Ice blue eyes peered at the newcomers from beneath blunt cut fringe.

"This is Ariel," Ivan introduced. "She's my second in command."

Ariel flashed a bright smile. "I'm sorry I missed out on the hunt earlier. Sounds like you boys had quite the morning."

Castiel blinked a few times before asking, "Are you really a mermaid?"

Ariel threw her head back and laughed. "Half-breed actually. And no, I didn't sell my voice or soul or whatever to a sea witch for legs."

Cas nodded. "Well I figured some of the story was incorr-"

"I killed her," Ariel interrupted.

Castiel's mouth shut with a click.

Ivan rolled his eyes. "Ursula was attacking mermaids so Ariel led the team that took her out. She has a flair for the dramatic."

Ariel blew a bit of hair out of her vision. "It sounds more badass to say it bluntly like that."

"You're also scaring the Otherlander."

Her gaze softened. "I apologize. I wasn't thinking. Let's start again." She put out her palm and shook hands with Dean and Cas in turn. "I'll start by showing you our perimeter security."

The next several hours flew by in a flurry of terms Cas felt he would never understand. Dean looked satisfied with how security was handled, however, so everything must have gone well. The men were shown behind each door in the house; as well as many hidden and secret doors typically used for quick exits.

Dinner included seafood that Ariel ate with gusto. When Cas looked surprised, she explained that fish for her were like cows for him.

"Except sharks, fuck sharks," she said with a grin.

Cas nodded, the dazed expression on his face saying it all.

Dean placed a comforting hand on Castiel's arm and told the rest of the group they were going to head to their rooms for the night. Snow sent them off with a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a wink.

Cas bypassed his door and followed Dean into his room. He sat on Dean's couch with a huffing sigh.

"It's a lot, I know." Dean poured them each a healthy serving of wine.

Cas took a large sip. "I just. . . ugh. I don't know." He gestured with the hand holding the glass with frustration, managing to splatter the maroon liquid on Dean's shirt. "Fuck. Fuck. I'm sorry."

Dean chuckled. "Dude, it's just a shirt. It's fine." He stripped out of the soiled garment and made his way to the bathroom to put it on to soak.

Cas swallowed his next sip with a loud gulp.

Holy shit. Dean was even more gorgeous than he'd first thought. Muscles moved fluidly under tan skin. Cas wanted to step close and trace each one with his tongue.

He was still staring when Dean turned and cocked an eyebrow.

Cas shook himself. "You have a tattoo?"

Dean glanced down. "Uh, yeah. Anti-possession symbol."

"Possession?"

"Demons."

Cas blinked a few times. "Of course."

Dean laughed. "You're handling that quite well."

Cas shrugged and took another slug of wine. "It explains an ex-boyfriend."

Dean laughed harder, his entire body getting into the movement. "I've had a few exes like that."

"Boyfriends?" Cas asked.

Dean winked. "And girlfriends. I'm an equal opportunity lover."

"Ah," Cas said. "I only play for one team."

Dean shrugged. "I don't judge."

Silence stretched between them for a moment before Castiel spoke again. "So tell me more about this world of supernatural I'm missing."

Dean fixed him with a long stare. "Basically everything you've had nightmares about is real. A lot of the noises you pass off at night as 'just the wind' are more than that. Every fairy tale and urban legend has a grain of truth to it."

"That's terrifying."

"Yep," Dean replied, popping the last syllable.

"And you're a hunter?"

Dean nodded.

"What does that mean?"

"I keep the things that go bump in the night from ripping throats out."

"Is Snow right? Are there good monsters?"

Dean frowned. "I've never met one. Like they said, our world isn't friendly toward them. They evolved differently there."

Cas nodded as he swirled the wine in the bottom of his glass. "That's sad."

Dean tilted his head. "I've never thought about it any other way."

Cas shrugged, eyes lifting to meet Dean's. "I sort of understand what it's like to feel misunderstood and alone." His eyes widened at his own admission. "I'm also a little drunk right now."

Dean smirked. "In Vino Veritas."

Cas tilted his head to one side in confusion.

"In wine, there is truth," Dean explained, barely above a whisper.

Castiel's eyes flicked down to Dean's mouth, his own lips parting slightly on a hitched exhale. "Truth."

Dean licked his lips. "Truth."

"I want to kiss you right now." Cas whispered.

Dean bit down on his lower lip, eyes moving between chapped lips and ocean blue eyes. "I've wanted to kiss you since I saw you dancing in the storeroom."

The two men leaned closer, slowly filling the space between them with heated stares and heavy breathing. Their heads tilted as they slotted their mouths together in a soft kiss.

Dean pulled back slightly, taking Castiel's face in his hands. "Wait."

Cas whined softly as he tried to close the gap again.

"Cas," Dean begged. "Not while we've been drinking. I want you to want this sober. I don't want us to blame the wine in the morning."

Castiel sighed and leaned his forehead against Dean's. "Damn your logical thinking."

Dean shifted slightly. "Trust me, man. I'm not happy with me right now either."

Cas chuckled and brought his fingertips up to trace down Dean's nose. "I guess I'll go to my room."

Dean nodded, not taking his eyes from Cas. "That's probably best."

Cas brushed his lips against Dean's before he stood and made his way to the adjoining door. "Good night, Dean."

"'Night, Cas."

The door clicked shut between them. Each man made his way to bed, vowing that soon. . . he wouldn't be doing it alone.


	5. Chapter 5

A distant scream had Dean leaping out of bed, gun in hand. He bolted into the hallway to find Castiel ripping open his door.

"What's going on?" the blue eyed man asked in a sleep rough voice.

Dean put a hand up. "Go back in your room, go to your bathroom, and lock the door. Stay there until I come get you."

Cas nodded and immediately shut the door, retreating inside.

Dean scurried down the stairs, weapon at the ready. He reached the bottom as Ivan ran down the corridor.

"What have we got?" Dean asked.

Ivan shook his head. "Not sure. It came from outside."

"In the walls or out?"

"We couldn't tell." The radio at Ivan's hip buzzed with conversation. He turned away as he answered.

Snow came bursting through the front door. "Wendigo. Last spotted right outside the front gate."

"Casualties?" Ivan asked.

Snow swallowed hard. "First glance is just a lot of blood."

Dean shook his head. "That doesn't sound like a wendigo."

Snow opened her mouth to reply but Ivan interrupted. "He's right."

"Then what are we dealing with?" Snow snapped.

Dean checked his gun. "Let's go find out."

Snow nodded and the trio ran out onto the lawn.

When they reached the fence line, Dean was immediately hit with the overwhelming metallic stench of freshly spilled blood. The team fanned out but stayed on their side of the partition. Dean heard scraping noises but couldn't pinpoint them under the slight moonlight. He stilled his breathing and focused.

Shit.

Running back to where Snow was standing he whispered, "That's not an animal."

"What?"

"That sound is a knife being sharpened. We need to get back inside. Now," he commanded.

Snow let out a sharp whistle and ran up the path, Ivan and Dean in hot pursuit.

Inside, Dean turned to Ivan. "Did you hear it?"

Ivan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He nodded on the exhale.

"It could still be a supernatural right?" Snow asked.

Dean blew out a breath between pursed lips. "You know more about your dimension than I do."

"I'll have the research team on it first thing in the morning," Ivan said.

"We'll also need to canvass the area to see who didn't come home last night," Snow whispered.

Silence settled over the group.

Dean cleared his throat. "I need to go check on Cas. He was pretty freaked out."

"Of course," Snow said with a sad smile. "Please let us know if you need anything."

Dean nodded and trotted up the stairs to Castiel's room. He knocked lightly before trying the knob. Open. He sighed. Hopefully the bathroom was still locked.

"Cas? Buddy? You can come out," he called.

The door to the bathroom cracked and Cas peeked his head out. "You're sure?"

"Whatever's out there isn't getting through the fence."

Cas slowly emerged from the room and made his way to the small sofa.

Dean's heart ripped in two at the sight of tear stained cheeks and red eyes. Fuck.

"Are you okay?" Cas asked.

"I should be asking you that," Dean said with a sigh.

Cas let out a pathetic chuckle. "I believe my situation is obvious."

Dean settled next to the man, thighs pressing together. He threw an arm around him and pulled him in close.

"I'm sorry," Cas whispered against Dean's shoulder.

"What? Why?"

"It's my fault we're even here. If I'd only stepped back when you told me instead of being a stubborn ass about it, we never would have ended up in the stupid mirror."

Dean shook his head and pulled Castiel in tighter. "With things like this, I have to lean on destiny."

Cas snorted. "Seriously? We were destined to come to a land where supernaturals roam free and one is trying to kill everyone in our proximity?"

Dean pulled away so he could make eye-contact. "I mean, your grandmother came here frequently so it's only right that you ended up here. It's a twist of fate that I had a free day the exact moment you were cleaning the storeroom." He stroked a thumb along the side of Castiel's neck. "You aren't here alone."

Cas swallowed hard. "Are you part of my destiny, Dean?"

Dean licked his lips, stomach flipping when Castiel mimicked him. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Cas hummed a thoughtful note. "We're in the land of fairy tales. Shouldn't we find out with a kiss?"

"Does that make me the night in shining armor or the princess?" Dean quipped.

Cas leaned forward. "I was hoping we could switch."

Dean barked a laugh. "That was the cheesiest thing anyone has ever said to me and I fucking love it."

Cas laughed with him. "It was pretty bad, wasn't it?"

Their laughter slowly died off as they continued to look in each others' eyes.

Dean bit down on his lower lip as his breath caught in his chest. "Cas?"

"Yes," Castiel said as he surged closer to claim Dean's mouth.

Their heads tilted as their lips made contact, slotting together with perfect precision. Dean groaned low in his throat and felt his cock leap at Castiel's answering growl.

Cas took control of the kiss and Dean sat back for the ride. Dean felt a tongue curl around his own in a firm dance, stroking and retreating until he was whimpering for more. He fisted a hand in the back of Castiel's hair as he leaned back.

Cas didn't hesitate to climb atop Dean so their hard cocks could press together, immediately taking them into a dirty grind.

Dean thrust up, moaning into the cavern of Castiel's mouth as electricity shot up his spine.

All too soon, Cas pulled back and looked down at Dean with a shyness that was at direct odds to their current predicament.

Dean held his breath, not wanting to do or say something to ruin the moment.

"I really want to fuck you, Dean Winchester."

The air exploded out of Dean's lungs. "Oh god."

"But not right now. As much as we've been through together, I only just met you. I'm not that kind of girl," Cas said as he slid off with a wink.

Dean groaned good naturedly as he tried to get enough blood from his dick to the rest of his body to get off the couch.

Castiel held out a hand. "If you can control yourself, I don't want to sleep alone."

Emotion swelled in Dean's chest. "Of course."

Cas smirked. "Although I wouldn't say no to more kissing and heavy petting."

"Oh thank fuck," Dean mumbled as he stripped off his clothes and followed Cas to bed.


End file.
